Drier.



F. A. BARR.

DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 18. 1917.

1 252,650 Patented J an. 8, 1918..

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

F. A. BARR.

' DRIER. APPHCATION FILED AUG. 18. 1917.

1,252,650, Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FRANCIS ANDERSON BARR, 0F FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

Application filed August 18, 1917. Serial No. 186,955.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS A. BARR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fresno, in the county of Fresno, and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in driers and has relation more particularly to a device of this general character especially designed and adapted for use in connection with fruit and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved drier including a house having a horizontally disposed trackway extending therethrough together with carriers co-acting with the trackway and driven through the medium of an endless member.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device of this general character includinga house through which the fruit or the like to be dried is caused to travel together with a heat generating means arranged within the house together with means for creating a circulation of heated air.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved drier wherein certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanving drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a view in elevation with portions broken away of a drier constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view in plan of the heating means as herein embodied together with a sulfur pit positioned adjacent the unit;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the device as disclosed in the accompanying drawings: the heating means being omitted for clarity in disclosure;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of one of the carriers as herein embodied;

Fig. 5 is a view in bottom plan of acarnor as herein disclosed; and

Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation of one of the carriers as herein included.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings H denotes a house of predetermined dimensions and preferably built of fireproof material and arranged within the house adjacent the floor thereof is a heating unit U herein disclosed as a plurality of pipes P leading from a generator G and traveling in a tortuous path within the housing and discharging with the upstanding flue F herein disclosed as positioned exteriorly of the house H. The unit U serves to cause the temperature within the house to reach a predetermined degree and in order to assure an agitation or circulation of the air within the house I find it of advantage to arrange within the house adjacent the top or roof thereof the rotating fans B. Each of the fans R includes a vertically disposed shaft 1 extending exteriorly of the house H through the top or roof thereof and the upper end portions of said shafts 1 are operatively eonnected through the medium of a belt 2 or the like whereby said shafts will be caused to rotate in unison and in the same general direction. Disposed vertically of the housing H and adjacent a side wall thereof isa vertically dis osed shaft S which has its upper end portion ex ending above the top or roof of the house H and said extended portion is operatively eng ged as at 3 with one of the shafts 1. The lower end portion of. the shaft S is ooerativelv eng ged as at t with an engine E eferably of an internal.

combustion tvpe although I do not wish to limit myself in any way as to the particular means whereby rotation is imparted to the shaft S.

Arranged within the hou e. H is a plurality of vertical trackways T d sposed in a tortuous path and e ch of said traclrwavs has a nortion 5 exter or of the ouse H and the adjacent wall of the house H is provided with suitable openings 6 to permit the entrance or ex t of the carriers C traveling upon the trackwav.

Arranged at substantially the transverse center of each of the trackways T is an end.- less member M herein disclosed as a chain and said member M is operatively engaged with a sprocket wheel \V fixed to the shaft S. The member M also travels around the guide wheels G fixed to the vertically disposed shafts V suitably positioned within the house H.

Each of the carriers C comprises a substantially rectangular frame provided with the transversely disposed intermediate members? having their end portions 8 downw'ardly directed. Supported by the portions 8 are the shafts 9 provided with the grooved wheels 10 riding directly on a trackway T.

The frame of the carrier is also provided with the cross members 11 and the overlying portions of said members are provided with the depending arms 12 adapted to be securedto the member M whereby the carrier C is caused to travel upon the track- Ways T through the medium of the member M.

Co-acting with each of the carriers C is a tray 1 1 preferably of wire mesh and which is adapted to contain the fruit or the like to be dried and said trays are applied or removed from the carriers during the time the carriers are traveling upon the exterior i portion 5 of the trackway 'I. As is particularly illustrated in Fig. 2, 15v denotes a sulfur pit positioned upon the floor of the house H and which, is adapted to be employed when it is desired to subject the fruit or the like to sulfur fumes. 16 denotes spaced members disposed horizontally through the house H and which serve as supports for the trackways 'I and for the shafts S and V.

In order that the trays 14 may be readily and conveniently delivered from the carriers C I have loosely engaged with the shaft S above each of the v heels IV a rock arm 17 provided at its outer end with a roller 18. Pivotally engaged with the free endportion of the arm 17 is a lever 19 extending beyond the adjacent trackway '1. When it is desired to remove a tray 14 it is only necc's' sary to impart outward movement to the lever 19'. l'lhi's will result in the wheel 18 engaging the inner margin of the tray 11- and forcing said tray off of the co-acting carrier C.

Although not shown it is desired that the trays '14 when discharged from the carrier C be received upon a suitable chute or slide for iconv'eying'said trays to a desired 10- cality.

F rom the foregoing description, it

Copies 0'! this patent may be obtained for thought to be obvious that a drier constructed in accordance with my invention 1s particularly well adapted for use by reason 7 of the convenience and facility with which trackway arranged within the house and having a portion extending exteriorly thereof, a carrier mounted upon the trackway, means for impartingmovement to the carrier along the trackway, and a discharging member movable in a plane above the line of travel of the carrier. 7

2. A drier comprising a house, heating means co-acting therewith, a continuous trackway arranged within the house and having a portion extending exteriorly thereof, a carrier mounted upon the trackway, means for imparting'movement to the carrier along the trackway, a rock arm movable in a plane above the line of'travel of the carrier, and means for imparting swinging movement to the'rock arm. a

8. A drier comprising a house, heatingmeans co-acting therewith, a continuous trackway arranged within the house and having a portion extending exteriorly thereof, a carrier mounted upon the trackway, means for imparting movement to the carrier along the traekway, a rock arm movable in a plane above the line of travel of the carrier, means for imparting swinging movement to the rock arm, and a wheel carried by the free end portion of the rock arm. -V

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS ANDERSGNHBARR. v.

Witnesses:

HERBERT Law, v C J'.'R1c'11ARDs. 1

five cents each, y addressing the flomm issioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." i V 

